Lyrics:

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Christmas Bells

I HEARD the bells on Christmas Day ( Their old, familiar carols play, ( And wild and sweet ( The words repeat ( Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come, ( The belfries of all Christendom ( Had rolled along ( The unbroken song ( Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till ringing, singing on its way, ( The world revolved from night to day, ( A voice, a chime, ( A chant sublime ( Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth ( The cannon thundered in the South, ( And with the sound ( The carols drowned ( Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent ( The hearth-stones of a continent, ( And made forlorn ( The households born ( Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head; ( 'There is no peace on earth,' I said; ( 'For hate is strong, ( And mocks the song ( Of peace on earth, good-will to men!'
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: ( 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; ( The Wrong shall fail, ( The Right prevail, ( With peace on earth, good-will to men.'